The Wherehouse

Newburgh eatery offers cool vibes and tasty food

Author: Leslie Cortes
Posted: Monday, August 02, 2010

I recently had the opportunity to take the family out to a great spot on the corner of Liberty and Ann Streets in Newburgh called The Wherehouse. The restaurant has an airy feel, consisting mainly of one big room with tables and a bar on the side. The walls are decorated with vintage album covers, many of which my partner and I delighted in pointing out to each other. My kids were not so enamored with the décor, but they sure dug into the food.

We started our meal with The Wherehouse Nachos. These were the best nachos I have had anywhere. Everything was fresh and homemade. The black beans had a hint of lime, the chips were light and crunchy, and the salsa had bite. The fresh jalapenos gave heat to the dish. Sour cream and a tomatillo dipping sauce also came with the nachos. The tomatillo sauce, flavored with cilantro and jalapeno, was light with some heat at the end. We cleaned this plate.

I chose to begin my meal with one of my favorites, French onion soup. I was happy with the little crock I received. There was not too much cheese, a pet peeve of mine, and the broth was rich and smooth, with big chunks of onions, leeks and shallots. The bread was delicious and did not soak up tons of grease—mainly because there was none.

Pulled pork with potatoes and coleslaw, Shepherds Pie, and two different burgers were next on the agenda. The coleslaw was creamy and delicious, an outstanding dish that is now another new favorite of mine. This is a must have.

The pulled pork held its own, too. It was dressed in a barbecue sauce loaded with flavor. The pork was tender and juicy. This came with a serving of beans, not too sweet, with a little kick and some bacon to boot.

My shepherd’s pie was an interesting combination of meat and vegetables. It was chock full of green beans, carrots, water chestnuts, corn, and more. When asked about his non-traditional pie veggies, owner Daniel Brown told me it was a happy accident. The crew grabbed the wrong veggies and made a superb dish out of it. I suggest the Asian Shepherd’s Pie become a permanent fixture on the menu.

My older son ordered the Samurai Kobe Beef burger. This burger is a little pricier because it is made with Japanese Kobe beef. The beef is extra tender and very flavorful. He chose the potatoes to go with it. They are thinly sliced, almost like a chip and lightly seasoned. Not too greasy, they are a great accompaniment to the Kobe burger.

My younger son ordered the bacon cheeseburger. The portion of bacon was generous and the burger was cooked perfectly to his specification of medium. The potatoes were a success with this dish also.

I saw that there was some organic wine offered on the menu and I chose the red Cuma, made with organic grapes with blackberry undertones and an elegant persistent finish. The Torrontes, a white wine with rose petals, jasmine and a honey taste is the white organic wine they serve. There are also 107 varieties of beer behind a very cool, copper covered bar. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. Any questions I had were readily answered. I recommend The Wherehouse to anyone looking for excellent food at good prices.

To top off The Wherehouse experience, they also have live music on Friday and Saturday nights. You can friend them on Facebook and get the latest updates so you never miss another thing happening at this (hopefully not so) hidden gem in Newburgh.